Sequence of tenses with infinitives and participles
An infinitive is the base form of a verb preceded by to. Use the present infinitive to show action at the same time as or later than the action of the verb in the sentence.
The action expressed in the infinitive (to pay) occurred later than the action of the sentence’s verb (had hoped).
Use the perfect form of an infinitive (to have followed by the past participle) for an action occurring earlier than that of the verb in the sentence.
The liking occurs in the present; the joining would have occurred in the past.
Like the tense of an infinitive, the tense of a participle is governed by the tense of the sentence’s verb. Use the present participle (ending in -ing) for an action occurring at the same time as that of the sentence’s verb.
Hiking the Appalachian Trail, we spotted many wildflowers.
Use the past participle (such as given or helped) or the present perfect participle (having plus the past participle) for an action occurring before that of the verb.
Discovered off the coast of Florida, the Spanish galleon yielded many treasures.
Having worked her way through college, Lee graduated debt-